A wide variety of clamps have been devised for holding pipes, cables, wires, etc. in position. Many of these clamps rely on some type of ratcheting action to maintain the clamp tightly against the pipe, cable, etc. A common example is an ordinary nylon loop which includes a double ended flexible strap. Serrated teeth extend along a bottom side of the strap from a free terminal end thereof. The end of the strap opposite the free terminal end includes a molded receiver with an internal tooth or teeth which engage the teeth on the strap as it is doubled back on itself around a wire bundle, pipe, cable, etc. The mutually engaging teeth on the strap and the receiver provide a ratcheting action which snugly secures the strap around the wire bundle.
Other examples of ratcheting pipe or cable clamps include that taught in U.S. Pat. No. 2,931,607 (the "'607 patent") to McFarland entitled Quick Release Cable Support System. The clamp in the '607 patent includes a staple with a plurality of V shaped notches along one or both legs of the staple. The V shaped notches perform a ratcheting action with one or more spring receivers and include a notch for receiving a quick release rod which can be manipulated to release the springs and allow the staple to be disengaged with the spring(s). The clamp in the '607 patent is designed to extend through a support such as a special bracket, and is not otherwise easily securable to an existing surface. The spring retainers are separate pieces and are separate from one or more securing members which also fit over the staple legs. Finally, release of the '607 patent clamp requires a separate special release tool which is inserted to disengage the spring(s).
Another example of a ratcheting clamp is found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,244,083 to Aremka et al (the "'083 patent"). The clamp in the '083 patent is of a somewhat similar construction to that in the '607 patent except that a U shaped staple has legs which each have notches along the exterior thereof. The staple legs extend through rectangular openings in a mating plate and the plate has a pair of upstanding wedge shaped walls which engage a pipe or cable and wedge it toward one side of the clamp. Release of the clamp is accomplished by forcing the legs together to disengage the notches from the outside edges of the openings and pulling the plate off of the legs. The clamp in the '083 patent does have a through bore in the base of the staple for receiving a screw or bolt to attach it to an existing surface. However, engagement of the staple legs with the plate is accomplished only by the notches engaging the edge of the plate openings. This is not a very positive engagement. Furthermore, the wedge shaped walls on the plate force a clamped pipe or cable to one side or the other of the clamp, which may not be desirable. Finally, the plate appears to be rigid, thus providing no clamping action of its own separate from the ratcheting action of the teeth engaging the plate openings.
It is clear, then, that a need still exists for a convenient, effective, economical pipe or cable clamp. Such a clamp should preferably include an easily releasable ratcheting action, should positively grip an engaged pipe or clamp, and should be usable with a specialized bracket or as a stand alone clamp attached to a wall or ceiling surface.